Massaging device

ABSTRACT

A compact, portable massaging device for providing, by vibrating, gentle massage for remedial or hygienic purpose, which is fabricated in the form of a cushion and which comprises a motor, a pair of eccentrically rotatable vibrator elements for producing vibrations through a housing structure, and a plurality of coil springs for amplifying the vibration. These motor, vibrator elements and housing structure are covered with sponge material to enable the device to be used as a cushion.

United States Patent 1191 Kawakami May 21, 1974' MASSAGING DEVICE 3,464,405 9/1969 Kallus l28/33 [76] lnventor: Shinya Kawakami, 1-4, Hirano IIIIIIIII i, Shinohachi 2-chome, Higashi, sumlgoshl ku Osakashl Japan Primary Examiner-Lawrence W. Trapp [22] Filed: Sept. 25, 1972 Attorney, Agent, or FirmSte'wart and Kolasch, Ltd. [2]] Appl. No.: 292,097

[57] ABSTRACT [30] Foreign Application Priority Data A compact, portable massaging device for providing, May 25, 1972 Japan 47-61173 by vibrating, gentle massage for remedial or hygienic purpose, which is fabricated in the form of a cushion 52 us. Cl. 128/33, 128/36 and which Comprises a motor, a P of eccentrically 51] Int. Cl A61h 1/00 rotatable vibrator elements for producing vibrations 58 Field of Search 128/32-36, through a housing Structure, and a plurality of coil 12 24 springs for amplifying the vibration. These motor, 'vibrator elements and housing structure 'are covered 5 References Citedv v with sponge material to enable the device to be used UNITED STATES PATENTS as a F 3,727,607 4/1973 Dill 28/33 25 Claims, 2Drawing'Figures 1 MASSAGING DEVICE The present invention relates to a massaging device and, more particularly, to a portable massaging device fabricated in the form ofa cushion and designed to pro vide, by vibrating. gentle massage for remedial or hygienic purposes.

Specifically, the massaging device of the present invention is intended for use by an automobile driver in his automotive vehicle without disturbing the freedom of vehicle steering behaviour of the driver while giving gentle massage to the driver sitting or reclining on the cushion type massaging device placed on the vehicle seat.

According to a conventional massaging device of a similar character, a vibrating unit is accommodated in place within a sealed, rigid container which is in turn covered with sponge material made, for example, of polyurethane foam. The container is of a substantially orbicular shape and has a' pair of opposed circular flat .areas, between which the vibrating unit is housed within the container in the following manner. The vibrating unit comprises an electrically operated motor having a drive shaft of which the both end portions are outwardly extended from the body of the motor and a pair of shaped plate members rigidly mounted on the both end portions of said drive shaft for eccentrical rotation below and above the circular flat areas within said container.

ln the conventional massaging device of the above construction. as the motor is operated causing the plate members to eccentrically rotate about the motor drive shaft. the container undergoes a swelling motion by the effect of a centrifugal force acting on the eccentrically rotated plates. The swelling motion, that is, vibration, is then transmitted through the sponge material to the user sitting or reclining on the massaging device. However. this conventional massaging device has various disadvantages. In other words, since it has been primarily intended for use in home, the size is relatively bulky and, if it is possible to make the device compact, the massaging coverage is disadvantageously limited. In addition, since the eccentrically rotatable plates are each rotated in the plane parallel to the flat areas of the container and. hence, the body surface of the user where massage is desired, no substantially comfortable vibration or massage is available.

Accordingly, an essential object of the present invention is to provide a compact, portablemassaging device which provides gentle massage to the user uniformly over the entire body surface where massage is desired, with substantial elimination of the disadvantages inherent in the conventional massaging device.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide the massaging device-of the above described type which is fabricated in the form of a cushion and which can be used as acushion when the deviceis not desired to be operated as a massager.

A further object of the present invention is to provide the massaging device of the above described type which can be operated with an electrical powerof low voltage available, for example, from a power outlet for hand lamp or cigarette-lighter usually provided in the automotive vehicle.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide the massaging device of the above described type which can be manufactured at lower cost than required in the conventional massaging device with an improvement of performance and durability.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the massaging device comprises a micromotor of a type having a drive shaft outwardly extending from the both sides of the body of the motor in the longitudinal direction, a pair of vibrator elements rigidly mounted on respective free ends of said drive shaft for eccentrical rotation, a pair of joined plate members havingv outwardly recessed portions, respectively, at their substantially intermediate portions, forming a cavity in which said micromotor and said vibrator elements are accommodated, a plurality of coil springs each extending from the joined plate members for transmitting to a remote'location vibrations produced upon eccentrical movement of said vibrator elements, and a soft or elastic covering encircling the joined plate I .members and the coil springs.

in the above construction of the massaging device according to the present invention, one of the most essential features resides in that the eccentrical movement of each one of the vibrator elements is effected in the plane substantially perpendicular to the plane of the joined plane members and the plane of the longitudinal axis of the coil springs so that vibrations can be uniformly transmitted to the user thereby to provide gentle massage over thebody surface where it is desired.

The provision of the coil springs is effective to trans mit the vibrations away from the source thereof towardsthe periphery of the covering thereby to permit the whole area of the massaging device to produce a massaging action.

Furthermore, because of being compact in size and light in weight, the massaging device of the present in vention, if placed between the back of the automotive vehicle driver and the vehicle seat-back, will not disturb the freedom of steering operation of the driver as hereinbefore described, but he can enjoy being massaged comfortably while driving his vehicle for the remedial purpose.

These and other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following de-- scription taken in conjunction'with the preferred embodiment thereof 'with reference to the accompanying drawings, in'which;

F IG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a sectional top plan view of a massaging device constructed in accordance with the-present invention, and

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a crosssectional view taken along the line ll-ll in FIG. 1.

It is to be noted that, for the sake of facilitating an easy understanding of the present invention, it will be described as fabricated in the square shape.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings, the massaging device is fabricated in the form of a cushion of substantially square shape, which generally comprises a vibrator unit 10, a vibration amplifying unit 20 and a covering 30. v

The vibrator unit 10 includes a micromotor ll of which the body is preferably of cylindrical shape and having a drive shaft 12 outwardly extending from the both sides of the body of said micromotor 11 in alignment with the longitudinal axis of said micromotor, and a pair of solid members 13 rigidly mounted on the drive shaft 12 on both sides of the body of said micromotor 11 for eccentrical movement with respect to the longitudinal axis of said drive shaft 12. Rigid mounting of The vibrator unit further includes a pair of plate members each formed at its substantially intermediate portion with an outwardly recessed portion 15a so that, whensaid both plate members 15 are joined together by a suitable joining method, such as by the use of aplurality of bolts and nuts or by spot welding, said outwardly recessed portions of said plate members formesa'cavity '16 for accommodating therein the motor 11 and holding the motor 11 in place within the cavity 16 through a plurality of elastic ring members 17 mounted on the body of the motor 11. Instead of using the elastic ring members 17, the motor 11 may be mounted in the outwardly recessed portion 15a of eitherof the plate members 15 and fitted in place by the use of a plurality of set screws tapped into the body of the motor 11 through the plate member 15.

The vibration amplifying unit includes a plurality ofcoil springs 21, only four of which are employed 'in the illustrated embodiment, each having one end rigidly connected with a corresponding one of corn erportions of the plate members and the other end extending away from the vibrator unit 10,; Connection between the endof each one of the coil spring 21 and the vibrator unit 10 is preferably madein such a manner that said end is sandwiched between the both plate members 15 and then spot-welded as clearly illustrated in FIG. 2.

The'vibrator unit 10 and the vibration amplifying unit 20 are both sandwiched by the covering consisting of a pair of individual layers of synthetic sponge material. such 'asmade of polyurethane foam, bonded to each other with the vibrator unit l0 and the amplifying unit 20 stationarily held therebetween.

. Reference numeral 9 shown in FIG. [indicate a lead wire for connecting the motor 11 to a power outler (not shown) through a suitable switch (also not shown) so that the electrical power necessary to operate the motor 11 can be supplied when the switch is turned on.

in assemblying the massaging device according to the present invention, what is necessary to mount the motor 11 in the cavity 16 is to place the motor. the body of which is mounted with the elastic ring members 17 in spaced relation and the drive shaft is mounted with the solid membersl3. in the recessed portion 150 of either of the plate me'mbers 15, theother plate member 15 beingsubsequently placed on the motor mounted plate member-l5, and then-tojoin the both plate members 15 by spot-welding as at 8, thus permitting the motor 11 to be firmly held in the cavity 16 defined by the recessed portions 150.

The coil springs 21 are thereafter spot-welded as at 7. A combination of the units 10 and 20is placed on either of thefirst and second layers 31a and 31b and the other layer 31b or, 31a is subsequently placed on the layer 31a or 31b by the use of a bonding agent applied on the entire surface of the layer to be joined to the other.

Although not shown, the covering 30 carrying the units 10 and 20 is, at the time the massaging device is to be placed on the commercial market, encircled with a suitable bag for preventing the covering 30 from being contaminated' during a long period of use.

In the construction as hereinabove described the other free end of each one of the coil springs 21 is preferably provided with a suitable weight 22 in the form of a set screw for enabling the vibrations to be regularily and uniformly transmitted through the coil spring.

Furthermore, the greater the number of the coil springs v2l, the more the vibrations can be obtained over the substantially entire surface of the massaging device. in addition, through the coil springs have been described as radially outwardly extending from the vibrator unit 10, they may be arranged in the form of a spider web.

From the foregoing description, it has now become clear that the vibrations produced upon eccentrical motion of the both solid members 13 cam be transmitandmodific'ation's are apparent to those skilled in the v ted from the plate members 15 to the peripheral edge portions of the cushion, i.e., the massaging device, to pro-vide'gentle massage to the user sitting or reclining on the cushion.

The massaging device of the present invention can be intended for use in home. In this case, the use of an AC-DC converter,- which may be provided with a voltage regulator if the motor 11 is designed to operate with lower voltage than the power source voltage, is recommendedywhich is to be inserted .between the motor and the power source.

Although the present invention has been'fully described by way of example with reference to the attached drawings, it is to be noted that variouschanges art. For example, most spot-welds described as effected in the preferred embodiment may be replaced by the use of screws or other suitable fastening members. Therefore, unless otherwise such changes and modifications depart from the scope of the present invention. they should be construed as included therein.

'What is claimed is: I

' l. A cushion type massaging device usable for remedial or hygienic purposes which comprises drive means having a drive shaft, at least one vibrator element eccentrically .rotatably mounted on said drive shaft, a housing structure for said drive means and said vibrator element which generates vibrations upon eccentrical movement of said vibrator element about said drive shaft, a-plurality of coil springs each connected with 4 said housing structure for amplifying said vibrations and transmitting said vibrations away from said housing structure, and a protective covering made of synthetic foam material and encircling said housing structure with-said drivemeans therein and said plurality of coil springs whereby, when said drive means 'is operated, a massagingaction can be provided to the user sitting on or reclining on the device through a substantially entire claim 1, wherein said housing structure comprises a.

pair of plate members each formed at a substantially intermediate portion with an outwardly recessed porcally operated motor having a drive shaft extending from both sides of the body of said motor, a pair of vibrator elements eccentrically rotatably mounted on both free ends of said drive shaft, a pair of plate members each formed at a substantially intermediate portion with an outwardly recessed portion which forms,

and the other end freely extending away from said housing structure.

5. A cushion type massaging device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the other end of each one of said coil springs is provided with a weight for enabling'the vibrations, transmitted through the coil spring, to be regularily and uniformly produced along the lengthwise direction of said coil spring.

6. A cushion type massaging device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said covering comprises first and second layer of polyurethane foam, both bonded to each other with said housing structure and said amplifying means sandwiched therebetween.

7. A cushion type massaging device usable for remedial or hygienic purposes which comprises an electrically operated motor having a drive shaft extending from both sides of the body of. said motor, a pair of vibrator elements eccentrically rotatably mounted on both free ends of said drive shaft, a housing structure when said both plate members are joined together, a cavity for accommodating therein said motor in a suspended manner, said joined plate members carrying said motor being capable of producing vibrations upon eccentrical movement of said vibrator elements, means for amplifying said vibrations and transmitting said vibrations away from said housing structure, and a protective covering made of synthetic foam material and for said motor having said shaft carrying said vibrator I structure, and a protective covering made of synthetic foam material and encircling said, housing structure with said motor therein and said plurality'of coil springs whereby, when said motor is operated, a massaging action can be provided to the user sitting or reclining on the device through a substantially entire surface of said covering. r

8. A cushion type massaging device as claimed in claim 7, wherein said motor is mounted with a plurality of elastic ring members in spaced relation and wherein said housing structure comprises 'a pair of plate mem- .bers each formed at a substantially intermediate portion with an outwardly recessed portion which forms, when said both plate members are joined together, a cavity, said motor being suspended within said cavity through said elastic members and firmly held in place within said cavity.

9. A'cushion type massaging device as claimed in" regularily and uniformly produced along the. lengthwise direction of said coil spring.

I]. A cushion type massaging device as claimed in claim 7, wherein said covering comprises first and second layer of polyurethane foam, both bonded to each other with said housing structure and said. amplifying means sandwiched in place therebetween.

12. A cushion type massaging device usable for remedial or'hygienic purposes which comprises an electrivided to the user sitting or reclining on said device through a substantially entire surface of said covering.

13. A cushion type massaging deviceas claimed in claim 12, wherein said amplifying means comprises a plurality of coil springs each having one end rigidly held between peripheral edges of said joined plate members and-the other end freely extending away from said joined plate members. v

14. A cushion type massaging device as claimed in claim 13, wherein the other end of each one of said coil springs is provided witha weight for enabling the vibrations, transmitted through the coil spring, to be regularily and uniformly produced along the lengthwise direction of said coil spring.

15. A cushion type massaging device as claimed in claim 12, wherein said covering comprises first and second layers of polyurethane foam, both bonded to each other with said joined plate members and said amplifying means sandwiched in place therebetween.

16. A cushion type massaging device usable for remedial or hygienic purposes which comprises an electrically operated motor having a drive shaft extending from both sides of the body of said motor, a pair of vibrator elements eccentrically rotatably mounted on both free ends of said drive shaft, a pair of plate members each formed at a substantially intermediate portion with an outwardly recessed portion which forms, when said both plate members are joined together, a cavity for accommodating therein said motor in a suspended manner, said joined plate members carrying said motor being capable of producing vibrations upon eccentrical movement of said vibrator elements, a plurality of coil springs each of which is adapted to amplify and transmit said vibrations away from said joined plate members and has one endrigidly held between peripheral edges of said joined plate members and the other end freely extending away from said joined plate members, and a protective covering made of polyurethane foam material and'consisting of first and second layers regularily and uniformly produced along the lengthwis direction of said coil spring.

18. A cushion type massaging device as claimed in claim 16, wherein said plurality of said coil springs are radially outwardly extended from said joined plate members.

Y 22. A cushion type massaging device as claimed in claim 13, wherein said coil springs extend radially outwardly from said housing structure.

23. A cushion type massaging device as claimed in claim 12, wherein said vibrator element, which are eccentrically mounted on both free ends of the drive shaft, are arranged in an offset relationship with respect to each other. 1 j

24. A cushion type massaging device as claimed in claim 16, wherein said vibrator element, which are eccentrically mounted on both free ends of the drive shaft, are arranged'in an offset relationship with respect to each other. v

25. A cushion type massaging device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said plurality of coil springs radiate from said housing structure in the form of a spider web. 

1. A cushion type massaging device usable for remedial or hygienic purposes which comprises drive means having a drive shaft, at least one vibrator element eccentrically rotatably mounted on said drive shaft, a housing structure for said drive means and said vibrator element which generates vibrations upon eccentrical movement of said vibrator element about said drive shaft, a plurality of coil springs each connected with said housing structure for amplifying said vibrations and transmitting said vibrations away from said housing structure, and a protective covering made of synthetic foam material and encircling said housing structure with said drive means therein and said plurality of coil springs whereby, when said drive means is operated, a massaging action can be provided to the user sitting on or reclining on the device through a substantially entire surface of said covering.
 2. A cushion type massaging device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said drive means comprises a micromotor.
 3. A cushion type massaging device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said housing structure comprises a pair of plate members each formed at a substantially intermediate portion with an outwardly recessed portion which forms, when said both plate members are joined together, a cavity and said drive means having said drive shaft carrying said vibrator element is housed within said cavity.
 4. A cushion type massaging device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said plurality of coil springs each have one end thereof connected with said housing structure and the other end freely extending away from said housing structure.
 5. A cushion type massaging device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the other end of each one of said coil springs is provided with a weight for enabling the vibrations, transmitted through the coil spring, to be regularily and uniformly produced along the lengthwise direction of said coil spring.
 6. A cushion type massaging device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said covering comprises first and second layer of polyurethane foam, both bonded to each other with said housing structure and said amplifying means sandwiched therebetween.
 7. A cushion type massaging device usable for remedial or hygienic purposes which comprises an electrically operated motor having a drive shaft extending from both sides of the body of said motor, a pair of vibrator elements eccentrically rotatably mounted on both free ends of said drive shaft, a housing structure for said motor having said shaft carrying said vibrator elements which generates vibrations upon eccentrical movement of said vibrator elements about said drive shaft, a plurality of coil springs each connected with said housing structure for amplifying said vibrations and transmitting said vibrations away from said housing structure, and a protective covering made of synthetic foam material and encircling said housing structure with said motor therein and said plurality of coil springs whereby, when said motor is operated, a massaging action can be provided to the user sitting or reclining on the device through a substantially entire surface of said covering.
 8. A cushion type massaging device as claimed in claim 7, wherein said motor is mounted with a plurality of elastic ring members in spaced relation and wherein said housing structure comprises a pair of plate members each formed at a substantially intermediate portion with an outwardly recessed portion which forms, when said both plate members are joined together, a cavity, said motor being suspended within said cavity through said elastic members and firmly held in place within said cavity.
 9. A cushion type massaging device as claimed in claim 7, wherein said plurality of coil springs each have one end thereof connected with said housing structure and the other end freely extending away from said housing structure.
 10. A cushion type massaging device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the other end of each one of said coil springs is provided with a weight for enabling the vibrations, transmitted through the coil spring, to be regularily and uniformly produced along the lengthwise direction of said coil spring.
 11. A cushion type massaging device as claimed in claim 7, wherein said covering comprises first and second layer of polyurethane foam, both bonded to each other with said housing structure and said amplifying means sandwiched in place therebetween.
 12. A cushion type massaging device usable for remedial or hygienic purposes which comprises an electrically operated motor having a drive shaft extending from both sides of the body of said motor, a pair of vibrator elements eccentrically rotatably mounted on both free ends of said drive shaft, a pair of plate members each formed at a substantially intermediate portion with an outwardly recessed portion which forms, when said both plate members are joined together, a cavity for accommodating therein said motor in a suspended manner, said joined plate members carrying said motor being capable of producing vibrations upon eccentrical movement of said vibrator elements, means for amplifying said vibrations and transmitting said vibrations away from said housing structure, and a protective covering made of synthetic foam material and encircling said joined plate members with said motor in said cavity and said amplifying means whereby, when said motor is operated, a massaging action can be provided to the user sitting or reclining on said device through a substantially entire surface of said covering.
 13. A cushion type massaging device as claimed in claim 12, wherein said amplifying means comprises a plurality of coil springs each having one end rigidly held between peripheral edges of said joined plate members and the other end freely extending away from said joined plate members.
 14. A cushion type massaging device as claimed in claim 13, wherein the other end of each one of said coil springs is provided with a weight for enabling the vibrations, transmitted through the coil spring, to be regularily and uniformly produced along the lengthwise direction of said coil spring.
 15. A cushion type massaging device as claimed in claim 12, wherein said covering comprises first and second layers of polyurethane foam, both bonded to each other with said joined plate members and said amplifying means sandwiched in place therebetween.
 16. A cushion type massaging device usable for remedial or hygienic purposes which comprises an electrically operated motor having a drive shaft extending from both sides of the body of said motor, a pair of vibrator elements eccentrically rotatably mounted on both free ends of said drive shaft, a pair of plate members each formed at a substantially intermediate portion with an outwardly recessed portion which forms, when said both plate members are joined together, a caVity for accommodating therein said motor in a suspended manner, said joined plate members carrying said motor being capable of producing vibrations upon eccentrical movement of said vibrator elements, a plurality of coil springs each of which is adapted to amplify and transmit said vibrations away from said joined plate members and has one end rigidly held between peripheral edges of said joined plate members and the other end freely extending away from said joined plate members, and a protective covering made of polyurethane foam material and consisting of first and second layers bonded to each other with said joined plate members and said coil springs sandwiched in place therebetween, whereby, when said motor is operated, a massaging action can be provided to the user sitting or reclining on said device through a substantially entire surface of said covering.
 17. A cushion type massaging device as claimed in claim 16, wherein the other end of each one of said coil springs is provided with a weight for enabling the vibrations, transmitted through the coil spring, to be regularily and uniformly produced along the lengthwise direction of said coil spring.
 18. A cushion type massaging device as claimed in claim 16, wherein said plurality of said coil springs are radially outwardly extended from said joined plate members.
 19. A cushion type massaging device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said coil springs extend radially outwardly from said housing structure.
 20. A cushion type massaging device as claimed in claim 7, wherein said coil springs extend radially outwardly from said housing structure.
 21. A cushion type massaging device as claimed in claim 7, wherein said vibrator element, which are eccentrically mounted on both free ends of the drive shaft are arranged in an offset relationship with respect to each other.
 22. A cushion type massaging device as claimed in claim 13, wherein said coil springs extend radially outwardly from said housing structure.
 23. A cushion type massaging device as claimed in claim 12, wherein said vibrator element, which are eccentrically mounted on both free ends of the drive shaft, are arranged in an offset relationship with respect to each other.
 24. A cushion type massaging device as claimed in claim 16, wherein said vibrator element, which are eccentrically mounted on both free ends of the drive shaft, are arranged in an offset relationship with respect to each other.
 25. A cushion type massaging device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said plurality of coil springs radiate from said housing structure in the form of a spider web. 